Religious Involvement and Depression: Evidence for Curvilinear and Stress‐Moderating Effects Among Young Women in Rural China

Debates about whether the relationship between religiousness and depression is nonlinear have continued, but no definitive conclusions thus far have been drawn. Unlike most previous research in this area, which has been based on U.S. populations, this study focuses on a sample of 882 young rural Chinese women. Results from analyses reveal an inverse U‐shaped relationship between intrinsic religiosity and depression. In addition, results show that intrinsic religiosity and religious activities exacerbate the deleterious effects of particular life events such as childbirth issues and marital conflicts. Implications of the findings for future studies on the subject are discussed.     

Teaching Medical Law in Medical Education

Although the teaching of medical ethics and law in medical education is an old story that has been told many times in medical literature, recent studies show that medical students and physicians lack confidence when faced with ethical dilemmas and medico-legal issues. The adverse events rates and medical lawsuits are on the rise whereas many medical errors are mostly due to negligence or malpractices which are preventable. While it is true that many medical schools teach their students medical law and ethics, there are wide variations in what is being taught because there is no universally agreed syllabus. Yet the knowledge of medical law and ethics is closely relevant to the medical profession and that failure in abiding the law may result in serious civil or even criminal consequences. While this paper does not propose to lay detailed analysis of the relevant areas of law or ethics, it proposes to cover some legal areas so as to highlight and bring to attention the need for a medical law and ethics course. This article also considers the problems faced and recommendation as to future directions to be taken with respect to teaching medical law and ethics. It concludes with a suggested course outline for the teaching of medical law and ethics.     

汉字识别的时间进程：来自字谜任务的ERP证据

通过“学习-测试-判断”的三阶段实验范型, 采用事件相关电位（ERP）技术探讨了猜谜任务中对谜底答案（单个汉字）识别的脑内时程动态变化。结果发现：语义识别与字形识别下,汉字刺激均诱发了明显的N1、P2和N2成分,其中语义识别下的P2波幅表现为更加正性,可能与汉字语义的早期加工有关;随后,300-400ms内,语义识别比字形识别诱发了一个更加正性的ERP成分,该成分可能属于P300成分,反映了对汉字语义的进一步整合加工;最后,500-600ms内,语义识别比字形识别同样诱发了一个更加正性的ERP成分,可能反     

大学生压力事件与网络游戏成瘾:逃避动机的中介效应*

以472名男大学生网络游戏玩家为被试,考察了压力事件、网络游戏逃避动机和网络游戏成瘾的关系。结果发现:(1)大学生压力事件、网络游戏逃避动机和成瘾之间存在显著正相关。(2)压力事件除了对网络游戏成瘾有直接影响,还通过网络游戏逃避动机的中介作用对网络游戏成瘾产生间接影响。     

Mechanisms for attentional modulation by threatening emotions of fear,anger, and disgust

Appropriately attending to threatening environmental stimuli is evolutionarily adaptive and crucial for survival. This study revealed that nonconscious attentional modulation of disgust has different behavioral and event-related potential (ERP) patterns, as compared to fear and anger. To facilitate its evolutionary purpose of avoidance, disgust first diverts rather than attracts attention. Accordingly, the N1 was smaller in a validly than in an invalidly disgust-cued condition. Furthermore, the frontal P3a for disgust, anger, and fear was found to be larger in the valid than in the invalid condition, which was interpreted as an involuntary switching of attention toward threat-related events to mobilize cognitive resources for action or defense. On the contrary, the parietal P3b only occurred at the conscious level; the enhanced P3b indicated that more cognitive resources were being allocated toward the task-relevant but previously less attended location, to ensure the effective achievement of task goals. In addition, group comparisons between individuals with low and high disgust sensitivity showed that the ERP differences between the disgust and the anger/fear conditions at the unconscious level may be attributed only to individuals with high disgust sensitivity. These findings, together with previous knowledge of the effects of fear and anger on attention, strengthen our confidence in the two-stage scheme of attentional modulation by threats, which consists of an early stage of bottom-up response scaling of sensory processing (reflected by the P1 and N1) and a later stage of top-down integration and regulation of emotion and behavior (reflected by the P3).     

Laboratory-induced learned helplessness attenuates approach motivation as indexed by posterior versus frontal theta activity

Research suggests that midline posterior versus frontal electroencephalographic (EEG) theta activity (PFTA) may reflect a novel neurophysiological index of approach motivation. Elevated PFTA has been associated with approach-related tendencies both at rest and during laboratory tasks designed to enhance approach motivation. PFTA is sensitive to changes in dopamine signaling within the fronto-striatal neural circuit, which is centrally involved in approach motivation, reward processing, and goal-directed behavior. To date, however, no studies have examined PFTA during a laboratory task designed to reduce approach motivation or goal-directed behavior. Considerable animal and human research supports the hypothesis put forth by the learned helplessness theory that exposure to uncontrollable aversive stimuli decreases approach motivation by inducing a state of perceived uncontrollability. Accordingly, the present study examined the effect of perceived uncontrollability (i.e., learned helplessness) on PFTA. EEG data were collected from 74 participants (mean age = 19.21 years; 40 females) exposed to either Controllable (n = 26) or Uncontrollable (n = 25) aversive noise bursts, or a No-Noise Condition (n = 23). In line with prediction, individuals exposed to uncontrollable aversive noise bursts displayed a significant decrease in PFTA, reflecting reduced approach motivation, relative to both individuals exposed to controllable noise bursts or the No-Noise Condition. There was no relationship between perceived uncontrollability and frontal EEG alpha asymmetry, another commonly used neurophysiological index of approach motivation. Results have implications for understanding the neurophysiology of approach motivation and establishing PFTA as a neurophysiological index of approach-related tendencies.     

Using Storytelling to Heal Trauma and Bridge the Cultural Divide Between Veterans and Civilians

There is a growing disconnect between the Veteran and civilian communities related to their understanding of war-related trauma, postdeployment reintegration difficulty, and the experience of Memorial Day. A therapeutic way to bridge this divide is through community storytelling. This paper describes a program development project at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center that was created to increase the connection between these communities. Using storytelling, six Veterans shared their personal experiences with a civilian audience in honor of Memorial Day. Qualitative data on the impact of the program is reported, and suggestions for future application and research are discussed.     

视觉选择性注意对注意缺损多动障碍儿童数字距离效应的影响

采用Posner的内源性和外源性线索实验范式,材料为1~9的阿拉伯数字(不包括5),以判断目标数字是否大于5为任务,考察视觉选择性注意中的内源性注意和外源性注意对注意缺陷型多动障碍儿童(ADHD)数字加工距离效应的影响。结果发现:(1)内源性和外源性注意条件下,正常儿童在数字判断加工任务中的反应时短于ADHD儿童;(2)内源性有效线索提示条件下,ADHD儿童和正常儿童均表现出显著的数字距离效应;而无效线索提示条件下,ADHD儿童的大小数字距离效应均不明显,正常儿童仍然表现出显著的数字距离效应;(3)外源性有效线索提示条件下,ADHD儿童的小数字距离效应显著,但大数字距离效应不明显,正常儿童则表现出显著的大小数字距离效应;而无效线索提示条件下,只有正常儿童表现出显著的数字距离效应,ADHD儿童的数字距离效应不显著。     

Assortative mating and couple similarity: Patterns,mechanisms, and consequences

Assortative mating refers to the tendency of two partners' characteristics to be matched in a systematic manner, usually in the form of similarity. Mating with a similar partner has profound implications at the species, societal, and individual levels. This article provides a comprehensive review of research on couple similarity since 1980s. The review begins with the general patterns and trends observed in couple similarity on a range of domains including demographic variables, physical/physiological characteristics, abilities, mental well‐being, habitual behaviors, attitudes, values, and personality. Next the bulk of the review focuses on analyses of 4 mechanisms leading to similarity: initial active choice, mating market operation, social homogamy, and convergence. Specific future research avenues are outlined to improve understanding of these mechanisms. Finally, the review discusses genetic, social, and psychological consequences of couple similarity.     

Evaluation of executive functions in children and adolescents with familial Mediterranean fever

The aim of the present study was to investigate neuropsychological test performance in children and adolescents with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). A total of 88 children and adolescents aged 8 to 17 years were included, 52 with FMF and 36 healthy controls. After the participants were administered the Children Depression Inventory (CDI) and the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED), they completed the battery tests of the Central Nervous System Vital Signs (CNSVS), a neurocognitive test battery, via computer. The battery calculates seven domain scores (Memory, Psychomotor Speed, Processing Speed, Reaction Time, Complex Attention, Executive Function, and Cognitive Flexibility) and a summary score (Neurocognition Index [NCI]). A statistically significant difference between the FMF and control groups was found in six out of seven domains, where the scores of the participants with FMF were found to be significantly lower than those of the control participants (p < .05). Although the mean Reaction Time score of the participants with FMF was found to be lower than that of the control participants, the finding was not statistically significant (p > .05). The mean CDI and SCARED scores of the participants with FMF were found to be significantly higher than those of the control participants (p < .05). Low scores in the Processing Speed and Psychomotor Speed domains of the CNSVS were significantly correlated with higher SCARED scores (r = ?.37, p = .01). Impaired cognitive functions should be taken into consideration in children and adolescents with FMF when assessing and managing this population.